Printer converting character code included in print data into character code of prescribed character encoding system to generate raster data

Abstract

A controller included in a printer performs a specific process when print data includes a print-data character code. The specific process is to: specify a print-data character encoding system describing the print-data character code; and determine whether the print-data character encoding system is a prescribed character encoding system. When the specific process determines that the print-data character encoding system is not the prescribed character encoding system, the controller reads a print-data conversion table stored in the memory. The print-data conversion table maps each of a plurality of reference character codes of the print-data character encoding system to a respective one of a plurality of target character codes of the prescribed character encoding system. The controller converts the print-data character code into a converted print-data character code using the print-data conversion table, and generate raster data using the converted print-data character code for printing with a print engine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A printer comprising:
 a memory;   a print engine; and   a controller configured to perform:
 acquiring print data; 
 a print-data process based on the print data, the print-data process including:
 a specific process when the print data includes a print-data character code, the specific process being to: specify a print-data character encoding system describing the print-data character code; and determine whether the print-data character encoding system is a prescribed character encoding system, the print-data character encoding system associating each of a plurality of characters with a respective one of a plurality of print-data character codes; 
 a reading process when the specific process determines that the print-data character encoding system is not the prescribed character encoding system, the reading process being to read a print-data conversion table stored in the memory, the print-data conversion table being a conversion table for the print-data character encoding system, the print-data conversion table mapping each of a plurality of reference character codes of the print-data character encoding system to a respective one of a plurality of target character codes of the prescribed character encoding system; 
 a conversion process when the reading process is performed, the conversion process being to convert the print-data character code into a converted print-data character code using the print-data conversion table, the converted print-data character code being a specified target character code among the plurality of target character codes in the print-data conversion table, the specified target character code being mapped from a reference character code matching the print-data character code among the plurality of reference character codes in the print-data conversion table; and 
 a printing process when the conversion process is performed, the printing process being to generate raster data using the converted print-data character code and instruct the print engine to perform printing based on the raster data. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The printer according to  claim 1 , wherein when the specific process cannot specify the print-data character encoding system, the controller performs none of the reading process, the conversion process, and the printing process to terminate the print-data process with error. 
     
     
         3 . The printer according to  claim 1 , wherein the print-data process further includes:
 a second printing process when the specific process specifies that the print-data character encoding system is compatible with the prescribed character encoding system, the second printing process being to generate second raster data using the print-data character code without performing the reading process and without performing the conversion process, and instruct the print engine to perform printing based on the second raster data.   
     
     
         4 . The printer according to  claim 1 , wherein when the reading process cannot read the print-data conversion table, the controller performs neither the conversion process nor the printing process to terminate the print-data process with error. 
     
     
         5 . The printer according to  claim 1 , wherein the print-data process further includes:
 a second printing process when the reading process cannot read the print-data conversion table, the second printing process being to generate second raster data based on a prescribed font acquired using the print-data character code without performing the conversion process, and instruct the print engine to perform printing based on the second raster data.   
     
     
         6 . The printer according to  claim 1 , wherein the memory stores in advance a plurality of conversion tables, each of the plurality of conversion tables being a conversion table for a respective one of a plurality of character encoding systems and mapping each of a plurality of reference character codes of the respective one of the plurality of character encoding systems to a respective one of the plurality of target character codes of the prescribed character encoding system,
 wherein the reading process reads, as the print-data conversion table, a conversion table for a character encoding system matching the print-data character encoding system among the plurality of conversion tables stored in the memory.   
     
     
         7 . The printer according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to further perform:
 a receiving process to receive a command to download a specific conversion table; and   a downloading process to download the specific conversion table according to the received command, and store the downloaded specific conversion table in the memory,   wherein the reading process reads, as the print-data conversion table, a target conversion table for a character encoding system matching the print-data character encoding system among a plurality of conversion tables including the downloaded specific conversion table in the memory.   
     
     
         8 . The printer according to  claim 1 , wherein the prescribed character encoding system is in conformity with a Unicode encoding standard. 
     
     
         9 . The printer according to  claim 1 , wherein when the memory stores font information that includes a plurality of sets of glyph data each specifying an outline of a respective one of a plurality of character codes of the prescribed character encoding system, the printing process acquires a set of glyph data associated with the converted print-data character code among the plurality of sets of glyph data in the font information stored in the memory, generates the raster data using the acquired set of glyph data, and performs printing based on the raster data.